Lock and switch device



y ,1938. R. MACDONALD 2,116,246

I LOCK AND SWITCH DEVICE Filed June 20; 1934 Patented May 3, 1938 UNITEDSTAT PAT ENT oFFics v e, 116,246 Loo-K AND swrron ayton A g "Bolier tMacdonald, Chicago, Ill. I Annamaria 20, 1934. Serial No. 731,548

shell in which is disposed a bit made of insulatingmaterial. This bitmaybe provided with grooves and notches according to known devices ofthis character, or it may represent the replica of at least part of afingerprint. If the bit of the key carries such a fingerprint itwillrepresent not only an: operating -member in "the ordinary and knownsense but an operating member which carries individual identificationmarks; In the bit are disposed conductors forming contacts on thesurface thereof, that is to say, forming contacts along its serratedportion. The lock or switching device to be operated by such a key oractuating member carries a serrated portion or ward made of insulatingmaterial and representing the counterpart of the bit. In other words,the bit of the key and the ward of the lock are each provided with aninsulating member on which are disposed grooves orserrationscorrespending either to any known and desired scheme orrepresenting characteristic lines taken from a'finger print. Conductorsare also disposed in the ward portion of the switch or look, formingcontacts along the serrated portion thereof and adapted to form acircuitwith the contacts. and .conductors on the bit of the key or actuatingmember. The circuit is completed when the serrated portion of the keymeshes with or engages the serrated portion of the ward for the purposeof actuating electric mechanisms to perform the locking, unlocking orother switching functions, depending on the purpose for WhichLthe deviceis intended. i

It may be mentioned at this point that I use the terms bit and ward inthe broadest sense to designate the serrated portions on the operatingmember and on the corresponding member, respectively, which is disposedin the device. :'The terms key and lock orequivalents thereof arelikewise used merely for thesake of convenient description. I haveadopted these terms from the terminology-of locks but, his understood,that theinvention is not in anyway i device.

limited to keys and locks. It is applicableto a great variety ofswitching devices usedin widely different fields. s .1

In addition to the operating circuitpreviously mentioned above which isclosed when-the: serrated portion of the keyis'broughtinto engagementwith the serrated portion ofthe wardpI have provided a safety or hazardcircuit which is actuated in case of tampering with the device. Thishazard circuit comprises conductors disposed within the ward portion inthe device-and also forming contacts on the serrated 'porticin thereof.The conductors corresponding to the hazard contacts on the ward arewired to. a signal or control circuit in which may be included an ialarm, if desired. This circuit is closed. at such time when a wrong keyor operating memberis inserted or in case of any tampering with the Anelectro-magnetic device included in the hazard circuit is actuated andinitiatesthe necessary signalling and control operations.

The following description and appendedclaims are chiefly directed to thefeatures referring to the switching and locking device as disclosed inthe above mentioned prior case and are also;directed to improvements onthese features.

The invention will be described. with reference to the accompanyingdrawing in which Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a key or actuatingmember having on oneof its sides aserrated portion representing the bit;1

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section thruan embodiment of a completeswitching device; and

ig. 3 is a transverse. cross section'thru the device shown in Fig. 2,substantially along the lines 3-3 and looking in the direction of thearrows.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the operatingmember shown in this figurecomprises a shell orhousing designated by reference numeral ll. At one.end of this shell is a handle portion l2 which may be formed somewhatlike the usual handle portion on an ordinary key. The edge 13 of thisoperating member may be rounded. Enclosed in the shell! I is aninsulating member M having aiuniform or. sectional grooved or serratedface as shown. The serrations maybe in accordance with a specific fingerprint,- that is, characteristic lines may betaken from a finger printand provided on the face of the insulatingmemberJI 14 as indicated. Anyother design or scheme may be used in place'of the finger print. Thisinsu lating member contains conductors iforrning. con:- tacts on theface of the serrated portion as is his dicated in the drawing bythe'reference numeral 5 shell containing the bit '91.

I5. Certain ones of these contacts may be blind, that is, may be merelycontact points without serving any particular function in the circuitoperations which I will presently describe, while certain other contactsare parts of or connected with the aforementioned conductors containedwithin the bit or enclosed thereby.

The above described switching means or key is particularly suitable incase of a device where the key is inserted and rotated in order toeffect engagement of its grooved portion with the grooved face of acontrol member enclosed within the device. The key may also take theform of a. member that is simply pushed into the lock and the requiredengagement with the internally disposed control member is eifectedeither mechanically or electrically by moving the entire key against theenclosed control member, as described in the prior case.

In Figs. 2 and 3 is shown a switching device incorporating the :featurespreviously indicated, with additional features appearing from :thefollowing detailed explanation. This device uses a key-iasnoted above,that is, one which slides into the corresponding aperture of thedevice,itsactuation depending upon electrical features :described below.

The key "90 shown in Fig. '2 consists of a flat However, whereas the bitshown in the previous disclosure was fixed in "the shell of the key, thebit member 91 shown in Fig. 2 is longitudinally movable within the shellof the key. A spring 92 at one end of the bit and a spring'93 attheother end thereof exert a pressure on the corresponding ends of the bitmember9'l, holding thebit member in a predetermined "neutral position. A:groove 94 maybe "provided on the enclosed side of thebit 8'! forreceiving a projection '95 rising from the material :of the shell of the-'key or provided thereon. The bit is thus longitudinally movable withinthe shell of the key and the limits of movement depend on the springs92'93 and to some extent on the cooperation of the projection '95 withthe notch '94. The projection 95 tends to align the bit properly withinthe shell of'the'key. It is understood, o'f'course, that other aligningmeans may be employed-in place of'those which I have shown. At theforward end of the key 90 is provided an insulating member 96 carrying acontact 91.

Since the otherimportant component "parts of.

' the device are already known from the prior case, I will limit thefollowing explanation chiefly to thefunctions of this embodiment.

-When the 'key 9|] is pushed into the key guide 98, it will finally cometo a stop at the moment when the contact 91 engages .a pair 'of contacts99. These contacts are wired to the conductors 100-401. A circuit is nowclosed from the battery "I02 over the wires 'IllO-lfl'l 'to the windingsof the solenoids I03 and 164 and back tothebattery IUZ by'way ofconductors IDS-I06.

The solenoids attract their plungers'or armagize and drop the key guide98.

in spite of the attraction of the key guide and key into engagement withthe ward. The solenoids l03--l04 remain energized. Hazard conductors andcontacts corresponding thereto are also provided in the ward I01. Thesehazard conductors may be grouped in any desired manner and the resultinggroups may be connected to the alarm conductors ll2ll3. In case acircuit is closed either fromv ground over any of the points connectedto the conductor 4 i3 or over any @pair of contacts of any group ofwires connected to conductors 2-! IS, the signal device orrelay Ilflenergizes in circuit with the alarm I I4, and thereby actuates thecontact H0 to open the operating circuit in addition to initiating therequiredsignaling operations.

Assuming now that the key 9|] is to be with-. drawn 'from 'thedevice, apull will be exerted on the key and this pull will first effect thespring 92 which aligns the bit 9| of the key housing. The bit itselfremains in engagement with the ward 101. The spring 92 is compressed,that :is, the shell' of the'key slides to the right while the bit"remains in engagement with the ward. The circuit of the solenoids103-404 is now broken at the contacts 91-99. The solenoids 'de-ener- Thekey assumes the position shown in the drawing and 'canrnow becompletelywlthdrawn.

Changes and modifications may be carried out withinthescope-andspirit ofthe following claims in which I have defined What -I believe is new.in'the art.

I-claim as my invention: 1. A look and switch device of the classdescribed'comprising, anenclosed substantially stationary controlmember, a removable key carrying gagement therebetweemsaid movablecompanion control member of said key remaining initially in engagementwith said stationaryenclosed control member upon withdrawal 'of said keyfrom said device, "whereby said electromagnetic means is firstdeenergized to release the engagement be tween said control membersprior to full withdrawal of said key from saiddevice.

2. In a lock'and 'switch device, an enclosed stationary grooved controlmember, a removable key foroperating said device, a'movable groovedcompanion control memberon said key, electromagnetic-operating means,means on said key for energizing said operating means upon 'fullinsertionof said :key in said device whereby said key is mcvedagainstsaid stationary control member to effect engagement of the movablegrooved control member thereon with said grooved stationary controlmember to actuate said device, said grooved control members remaining inengagement upon partial Withdrawal of said key until saidelectromagnetic means is deenergized by said "partial withdrawal-of saidkey whereby the engagement of said igrooved members is broken.

BpThe-structure defined in claim 2, wherein said key comprises ametallic shell having an opening, an insulating body contained in saidshell and carrying a grooved face disposed in said opening, saidinsulating body constituting said movable grooved companion controlmember, resilient means for centering said insulating body withrespectto said opening and said shell, said insulating body being movableagainst said resilient means with respect to said shell, and contactmeans at the end of said key constituting said means on said key forenergizing said operating means upon full insertion of said key in saiddevice.

ROBERT MACDONALD.

